Abstract [en]

Abstract

Background Reducing the amount of food waste is an important factor in achieving sustainable development. Grocery stores play important roles since they handle large amounts of groceries and provide food for numerous households. Studies concerning what and which amounts grocery stores throw away exist. However, few studies have examined how personnel in grocery stores experience and think about the subject.

Objective The aim was to examine managers and employee’s experiences and thoughts about food waste at grocery stores.

Method The study was conducted as a qualitative study where interviews with managers and employees at eight grocery stores were carried out. The data material was transcribed and analyzed with content analysis according to Graneheim and Lundman.

Results Food waste was seen as a problem area that participants believed was difficult to avert. They described it like an ethical dilemma when food is thrown and at the same time people are starving and the environment is affected. There are external factors that affect the stores, and thus can make working with food waste difficult. The financial matter was an important factor for the survival of supermarkets and it was found that the participants’ main reason for reducing food waste was the opportunity to save money. Other factors to reduce food waste were proper handling and good routines. Adequate knowledge was something that contributed to lower food waste and therefore participants found it should increase in both staff and customers. The idea of​​cooperationwith producersperceived asgoodbutdifficultcurrentcompetitors.

Conclusion This study has shown that food waste is a complex issue as it coexists with starvation and environmental stress. Grocery stores ought to change their attitudes regarding cooperation to enable joint actions against food waste. The possibility to save money drives the participants to act. The best way to minimize food waste is to educate personnel and to make more precise orders based on the actual demand.